Storm cuts through Galesburg, killing one and injuring several

Storm moves through Galesburg with unusual summer speeds, the worst this season in this region according to the National Weather Service. Breakout: Old Main damaged

Susan Kaufman

BREAKOUT AT END - FAMOUS DAMAGED BUILDING

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The severe storm that blasted Galesburg and surrounding areas Thursday afternoon claimed the life of a man in rural Victoria and injured several others, according to Knox County Sheriff and Coroner Mark Thomas.

The fast-moving storm hit Galesburg just after 1 p.m. Thursday, uprooting trees and bringing down branches and power lines with straight-line winds estimated at 60 to 80 mph.

Emergency officials were called at about 2:20 p.m. to rural Victoria, where a man was hit by a tree as a result of the storm. The victim, whose name is being withheld pending notification of relatives, was pronounced dead by Thomas.

The city’s two hospitals reported several injuries.

Dr. Jim Klein, Galesburg Cottage Hospital, said that compared to injuries from past storms, this one was “moderately severe.” Patients told stories of trees falling on them in moving vehicles, receiving cuts from glass and debris. An outdoor worker was hit by a falling tree and suffered a broken arm.

As of 4 p.m. Thursday, Klein said he had seen about seven patients with storm related injuries. All but one were treated and released. One patient was admitted for broken bones and will have surgery tomorrow.

At 4 p.m., 11,000 were without power in Galesburg and 4,400 were without power in Monmouth, according to Ameren’s Web site.

Kirk Huettl, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lincoln, said no tornadoes were spotted in the Galesburg area, but the straight-line winds were of the same intensity as an F1 tornado.

While the hospital did experience some power surges, the emergency generators came on and services continued uninterrupted.

By 3 p.m. Thursday, the Public Safety Building had already fielded hundreds of phone calls with people reporting downed lines, downed trees and limbs, gas leaks and trapped neighbors.

GPD Capt. Lindsey May said a special operations team was dispatched specifically to check on elderly residents.

“We have had reports of people trapped in houses, with trees blocking doors,” May said. “We know of many people on oxygen and with special needs. With all the power outages, we need to make sure everyone is OK.”

The exact number and nature of 911 calls were not available.

Several reports of arcing wires and trees on fire were reported in Galesburg after the storm. Galesburg Fire Chief John Cratty was not available for comment on his department’s post-storm activity.

A spokeswoman at the Galesburg chapter of the American Red Cross said the office sent a damage assessment team with food and water to Kirkwood where about 200 homes were damaged.

Huettl said the storm started developing cells near the Mississippi River and gained intensity as it traveled at speeds of up to 70 mph as it passed through Warren County into Knox County and on to the Chicago area, all within about two hours.

“It’s unusual for a storm to move that fast during the dog days of summer,” Huettl said. “Storms usually move that fast in the springtime but not in the summer.”

Huettl said the wind damage was the worst the National Weather Service has seen in the central Illinois region so far this year.

“People said it felt like a hurricane or a tornado,” Huettl said.

Susan Kaufman can be reached at the Galesburg Register-Mail. Ron Jensen, Matt Hutton, Tom Loewy and Jane Carlson contributed to this story.

BREAKOUT: Old Main damaged

Knox College’s historic Old Main building was one of two structures damaged on campus. The southwest corner of Old Main’s roof lifted off the building, causing bricks and cement to fall.

The college is celebrating the 150th anniversary of Old Main’s construction this year. The National Historic Landmark is the only building still standing from the Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas debates.

Elsewhere on campus, two large trees lining South West Street fell onto the roof of Neal-Conger Hall and caused major roof damage to the back, middle part of the dormitory. Except for athletes, students have yet to return for fall classes.